uncontrollably

uncontrollably — adverb

1. so strongly or intensely that a person, animal, or thing cannot stop, direct, or

1.adverbB2
Definition

so strongly or intensely that a person, animal, or thing cannot stop, direct, or hold back the action or process

Example

Nala began to laugh uncontrollably during the serious meeting, earning stern looks from her boss.

uncontrollably + emotion verb (laugh)

Ramón's knees shook uncontrollably as he stepped onto the stage to accept the award.

Common collocations
  • cry uncontrollably
  • laugh uncontrollably
  • shake uncontrollably
  • sob uncontrollably
  • tremble uncontrollably
  • spread uncontrollably
  • bleed uncontrollably
  • shake uncontrollably
  • grow uncontrollably
  • burn uncontrollably
Synonyms
  • wildly

    suggests erratic, undisciplined movement or behaviour without necessarily implying that stopping is impossible

  • frantically

    adds a sense of desperate anxiety or panic; the person is trying hard but in a disordered way

  • hysterically

    specifically about extreme emotional reactions that exceed what the situation calls for

  • involuntarily

    focuses on lack of conscious choice rather than intensity; a sneeze happens involuntarily but not necessarily uncontrollably

Antonyms
  • calmly

    suggests composure and conscious control over emotions or actions

  • steadily

    implies a consistent, controlled pace without sudden or violent changes

Grammar Patterns

verb + uncontrollably

uncontrollably + verb

Usage Note

Commonly pairs with verbs of strong emotion (cry, laugh, sob, shake, tremble) and verbs describing uncontrolled physical or natural processes (burn, spread, bleed, grow). Often used in contexts where the subject tries but fails to exercise restraint.

Common Mistakes

She cried very uncontrollably.
She cried uncontrollably.
'Uncontrollably' already expresses a high degree; intensifiers like 'very' are redundant.
The toddler was uncontrollably during the meal.
The toddler was uncontrollable during the meal.
After a linking verb (be, seem, become), use the adjective 'uncontrollable,' not the adverb 'uncontrollably.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Wildly, frantically, hysterically, and involuntarily each describe something outside normal control, but they point to different flavours of that loss. Wildly emphasises erratic, directionless movement or behaviour — a crowd cheering wildly is loud and messy, but it could stop at any moment. Frantically adds desperate, panicked haste: someone who searches frantically for lost keys is racing against anxiety, not simply shaking out of control. Hysterically describes emotional reactions that are extreme relative to the trigger — laughing hysterically at a small joke suggests the reaction itself is out of proportion. Involuntarily is the most mechanical: it means the action happened without conscious choice, regardless of intensity — flinching at a loud noise is involuntary, but you would not usually say you flinched uncontrollably. Uncontrollably is the broadest of the four, covering emotions (cry uncontrollably), physical reactions (shake uncontrollably), and natural processes (spread uncontrollably), where the defining feature is that stopping or directing the action is genuinely impossible.

wildly ↗franticallyhystericallyinvoluntarily

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • almost uncontrollably
  • nearly uncontrollably
  • completely uncontrollably
  • suddenly uncontrollably

Phrases

  • shake uncontrollably
  • tremble uncontrollably
  • spread uncontrollably

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the prefix un- (meaning 'not') + control (from Latin contra- 'against' + rotulus 'a roll of documents,' originally referring to a duplicate roll used to check financial accounts) + -able (capable of being) + -ly (adverb suffix). The idea of a 'counter-roll' for verification evolved into the modern meaning of directing, restraining, or regulating something. Adding un- + -able + -ly creates the sense of 'in a manner that cannot be directed or restrained.'